2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

[Blackbeard]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I wonder what Shannon Miller would have brought to this US team.

Well, she is now an American citizen. But I suppose some would argue that with respect to Nagano in 1998, if past is prologue, it wouldn't have been enough.

But now you've gone and done it...you've upset the Brookster, he's going to have nightmares of a Gold Medal Game with water bottles flying everywhere and not a call to be had from the ref! But wait, she would then be on his side...hmmmm.

 

[dave1381]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

We can just agree to disagree on this one. When a team is just dumping the puck, then going for line changes the entire last five or six minutes of the game, as the US did, to me that's taking your foot off the gas. I certainly respect your opinion, but you might be in the minority on this one as I am not the only one questioning strategy and/or coaching decisions in the last five minutes of that third period.

You are definitely in the majority, at least among those whose opinions I have read.

To be clear, I agree at times the US was not as aggressive as it should have been. What I don't agree with is any claim that this was THE reason the US lost, or at least anyone who places the primary blame on some strategic decision. Random bounces and random penalties and unusual failures in execution I think had a much larger impact on the outcome than any conservative play, as far as I am concerned.

 

[brookyone]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I wonder what Shannon Miller would have brought to this US team.

Well, she is now an American citizen. But I suppose some would argue that with respect to Nagano in 1998, if past is prologue, it wouldn't have been enough.

But now you've gone and done it...you've upset the Brookster, he's going to have nightmares of a Gold Medal Game with water bottles flying everywhere and not a call to be had from the ref! But wait, she would then be on his side...hmmmm.

Got a couple ideas. I'm gonna leave this one alone.

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Fair warning...I suspect some will be less than impressed, possibly even contentious of this writers take. This is Tom Powers from the St. Paul Pioneer Press. A columnist known for a somewhat negative disposition.

http://dfm.twincities.com/article/t...embarrassing/a499b2a03b493ab1aa26962181a1c657

Negative is right, very strong opinion. But I'd rather hear a strong opinion, even if I didn't agree with it, than fabrications. I read an account of the game (don't recall if it was posted here or not) where the writer stated on one of Poulin's goals that "an exhausted Vetter" couldn't get back to her right to shut the door implying that she pretty much collapsed in a crumpled heap in the left half of the crease and had to have oxygen administered. He obviously didn't see that play or doesn't have any idea what he's talking about...and I'm sure there were people repeating that inaccurate drivel.

 

[SeymoreHockey]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Shannon Miller....oh yeah. Haha. I remember her...she almost single handedly destroyed the morale and chemistry of Team Canada at its inaugural Olympics and led it to its only Silver medal. She left the program and the country shortly after. You can have her...she's definitely persona non gratis in Canada.

 

[hockeynut]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Shannon Miller....oh yeah. Haha. I remember her...she almost single handedly destroyed the morale and chemistry of Team Canada at its inaugural Olympics and led it to its only Silver medal. She left the program and the country shortly after. You can have her...she's definitely persona non gratis in Canada.

Interesting how one game had such huge impact on both countries programs.

US won in spite of Ben Smith and then were stuck with him after that.

Canada purged after 1998 and haven't looked back.

 

[monsoonweather]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Shannon Miller....oh yeah. Haha. I remember her...she almost single handedly destroyed the morale and chemistry of Team Canada at its inaugural Olympics and led it to its only Silver medal. She left the program and the country shortly after. You can have her...she's definitely persona non gratis in Canada.

I love her personality behind the bench. "Killer Miller" hahahaha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annota...&feature=iv&src_vid=lLISmopEpmI&v=hpf3ExbsxGg


Was Sarah Davis not invited to try out for TC? Shame. I think it's also a bit of a shame that Courtney Birchard didn't make the team. She's going to be 28 in 2018...

 

[osualum86]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Got a couple ideas. I'm gonna leave this one alone.

I should leave it alone, too, but I wouldn't have a problem with USA Hockey giving Shannon Miller a shot.

 

[northhockey]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I should leave it alone, too, but I wouldn't have a problem with USA Hockey giving Shannon Miller a shot.

Shannon Miller should stick to rebuilding her team in Duluth and off the US bench! (I couldn't leave it alone!)

 

[brookyone]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I should leave it alone, too, but I wouldn't have a problem with USA Hockey giving Shannon Miller a shot.

That wasn't one of my ideas.

 

[dave1381]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Negative is right, very strong opinion. But I'd rather hear a strong opinion, even if I didn't agree with it, than fabrications. I read an account of the game (don't recall if it was posted here or not) where the writer stated on one of Poulin's goals that "an exhausted Vetter" couldn't get back to her right to shut the door implying that she pretty much collapsed in a crumpled heap in the left half of the crease and had to have oxygen administered. He obviously didn't see that play or doesn't have any idea what he's talking about...and I'm sure there were people repeating that inaccurate drivel.

My favorite was the writer who said he'd seen Bellamy on the bench with her head down on the bench after the first goal off her knee, and THEN he KNEW they would CHOKE. Umm... Bellamy had her down because she tripped and hit her head next shift, idiot.

 

[brookyone]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

http://thehockeywriters.com/importance-empty-netter/



Wonder where the idea for these brief thoughts came from?

 

[TonyTheTiger20]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned (I've been avoiding this thread out of depression since last Thursday) but some interesting ratings numbers:

http://www.multichannel.com/content/winter-olympics-womens-gold-medal-game-draws-49m-watchers/148449

Highlight:

According to Nielsen live + same-day fast national data, NBC’s presentation of Canada’s 3-2 triumph over the U.S., secured by Marie Philip Poulin’s goal in overtime, averaged 4.9 million from noon-3:30 p.m. (ET)/9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (PT). That ranked as the most-watched hockey game in this nation, outside of Stanley Cup Finals action, since the North American rivals met in the gold medal men’s game at the Vancouver Games in 2010 with the same overtime score and outcome.

Basically, the USA/Canada gold medal game was the most watched hockey game of the Olympics, topping the USA/Canada men's semifinal.

Obviously it helps that it was on NBC and not NBCSN, but even so, the USA/Canada *prelim* game was on NBCSN as well and apparently that got better ratings than the USA/Russia men's game.

That is incredible.

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

http://thehockeywriters.com/importance-empty-netter/



Wonder where the idea for these brief thoughts came from?

Was at the 1999 World Juniors and at the Canada vs Finland game Canada (early in the second period and not down on the scoreboard that I remember) pulled their goalie. The move caused the full house to erupt with everyone on their feet...it was pandemonium and almost deafening...and the combination of the two really freaked out the Finns although I don't believe Canada scored as a result. It seemed to be just a gutsy (some might say stupid) move to unsettle the Finns and throw them off their game for a while. Very memorable.

 

[west]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I love her personality behind the bench. "Killer Miller" hahahaha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annota...&feature=iv&src_vid=lLISmopEpmI&v=hpf3ExbsxGg

I forgot how...stylish, the 90s were. However it is cool that the team has never moved on past the victory cigars even though they no longer have to watch game tape crammed into a hotel room and haul their own bags in the back of pickup trucks.


On a side note, seeing some old skyline shots of Calgary is always cool. When this was filmed, the two tallest buildings in the city were 215m and 197m. By the time the 2017-18 Centralization happens, they will be 247, 235, 223, 215, 212, 210 and a second at 197 (along with ten others in the 150-200m mark). Crazy times.

 

[Trillium]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned (I've been avoiding this thread out of depression since last Thursday) but some interesting ratings numbers:

http://www.multichannel.com/content/winter-olympics-womens-gold-medal-game-draws-49m-watchers/148449

Highlight:



Basically, the USA/Canada gold medal game was the most watched hockey game of the Olympics, topping the USA/Canada men's semifinal.

Obviously it helps that it was on NBC and not NBCSN, but even so, the USA/Canada *prelim* game was on NBCSN as well and apparently that got better ratings than the USA/Russia men's game.

That is incredible.

That IS incredible. Who would have thought that would happen

 

[D2D]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

That IS incredible. Who would have thought that would happen

Nobody if they were being honest about it.

 

[Hux]

That IS incredible. Who would have thought that would happen

Lot of publicity with the fights...a spread on a few players in People magazine, and the kicker- a noon game on NBC so homemakers, the lunch crowd in bars, the treadmillers at the gym etc. were tuned in. Timing and accessability are everything.

 

[hab]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

I think that there is one factor that is being overlooked in all of this, and that is that in some respects the women's game, when played at the highest level, can be more entertaining than the men's game. It is not unlike the following that women's tennis and women's golf have achieved. The fact is, that most athletes, including most male athletes, can relate more closely to women's sports at the highest level than they can to male sports at the highest level. I can watch LPGA golf and relate to the shots that are being tried much more than I can to what I see on the PGA, and that is the case for 99% of male golfers. Similarly, it is often the case that the scoring plays in men's hockey happen so quickly (deflections etc.) that without the benefit of replays it is often difficult to capture what happened. With women's hockey, the skill level is very high, but you can see every play develop and you can fully appreciate every goal and every save.

 

[Blackbeard]

Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Sometimes you'd think Wickenheyser was the only player on the team...too much face time for her...it needs to be spread around...

http://www.660news.com/2014/02/26/h...-the-womens-hockey-team-returning-from-sochi/
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And an article on the Sochi accomodations...

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sochi/sochi-o...s-to-bunk-in-basic-dorm-style-rooms-1.1670363